Strong Enough?
by shelielaff
Summary: Sequel to ETERNITY. Rated M for later chapters. The new term has started, can the new found companionship between Harry and Draco survive? Can the boys help fix each other? Are they strong enough to make it? - Disclaimer - I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1

**Strong Enough?**

By the end of the summer Hogwarts castle began to resemble its former glory. It would be ready to open again in the September bringing new and old faces back together to try and move forward, to place the past behind them and move on.

Harry and Draco had worked throughout the remaining months of the summer, silently side by side, each found reassurance and renewed strength in the other. This had not gone unnoticed by the other helpers at the castle, each student and teacher had an opinion although not all were brave enough to voice it. The whispers had increased, especially when Harry had put his wand away to help Draco manually move the rubble. People watched in fascination as the two boys worked silently, their company obviously enough for each other.

Hermione and Ron had long ago known that Harry felt the need to be around Draco and as a result the two friends never felt the need to question him for which Harry felt grateful. He had spent the time after the war explaining his thoughts about Draco, how that moment in the Manor had bonded them in a way that even he could not comprehend. Ron and Hermione had listened, Ron had taken a little longer but eventually they understood. Eventually they realised Harry needed Draco. The six months after the war had been painful for them as they watched Harry watch Draco. The first time they realised how serious Harry was, was as they watched their friend save the blonde Slytherin from Azkaban. They had never questioned him again. That day, over the summer when Harry had been finally brave enough to approach Draco they waited anxiously, what if he rejected their friend? What if he turned away when Harry offered the hand of friendship? They could not imagine what that would do to their friend. It had been relief for them to see the two boys the next morning. The two boys had silently walked side by side in to The Great Hall and sat down to eat breakfast. They didn't speak but each boy seemed content. Hermione and Ron were happy with that for now, Harry was happy they were happy.

Others were not so nice. Names were called, insults were thrown, Draco silently worked through them, after all he was used to them. Harry received endless questions, what was he doing? Was he ill? Had Draco cursed him? However, they all stopped when a Ravenclaw named Eddie Thomas loudly asked Harry what the hell did he think he was doing with the 'slimy, Slytherin, murdering, Death Eater scum.' That was too far, Draco had tensed at the side of Harry and Harry caught him glance quickly at his scarred arm. Harry stood up slowly and calmly turned to face the Ravenclaw.

'Well?,' demanded the red faced boy.

Harry balled his fists up by his side and stared at the boy in front of him. Harry's body began to vibrate as his eyes turned dark. Stones on the ground around him began lifting in to the air and a few other students were looking worried. Ron who had seen what was happening took hold of his girlfriend's arm and took a few steps away from their angry friend.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the boy in front of him, ' .YOU!' he whispered menacingly.

With that the stones around him flew at the Ravenclaw attacking him from every angle, some of the smaller stones shattered on contact with the boy and some burst in mid air. The boy's skin was torn and bleeding and then a blast of pure magic hit him square in the chest and blasted him backwards 10 feet. The Ravenclaw was unconscious before he hit the floor. His friends ran over to him quickly after glancing warily at Harry.

Slowly Harry began to speak, he was quiet but his voice carried throughout the grounds;

'Draco Malfoy saved my life, then his mother saved my life, there are no words that I can say that can thank them for that, but I will protect them both until my last breath and I PROMISE that.'

With that he turned and looked at the blonde behind him, the people listening heard the brunette speak to the blonde for the first time, 'let's go.' Without a word the blonde stood and followed Harry in to the castle.

Stunned silence followed the boys Ron and Hermione were first to return to their work and soon others followed suit. No one bothered the boys again.

...

A new term was beginning at Hogwarts and Hogwarts now had an 8th year as all the students had missed their schooling due to the war but there was still a fresh new intake of first years. The 8th years were few and far between, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were joined by Neville, Seamus and Dean and Draco was joined by Blaise. There were a few returning Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's too. The house dorms were now full so McGonagal had decided the 8th years would all share. This is how Draco found himself sharing a room with the Gryffindor's and Blaise. He was not surprised that no other Slytherin's had returned but was secretly very glad about this. The dorms looked just like their house dorms, the seven beds spaced evenly around the room, each with their own pale blue curtains, the house colours of their two houses were intertwined in pastels in little touches throughout the room. Draco settled for a bed in the corner of the room across form Harry's and began to unpack his trunk. Since the majority of the 8th year students and a lot of the 7th year had spent the summer at the castle they were already there when the other students arrived at the castle. Once the sorting and the feast were over the 8th years retired to their shared common room. They were joined by Luna, it was an unspoken agreement that she was officially one of them, she had fought side by side with them and earned her place in their hearts. Luna was given the password to the common room and told to treat it as her own. The blonde girl smiled dreamily at this and hoped the Nargles would not mind so much. Taking her place on the knee of her boyfriend she fitted in completely. Seeing Luna there reminded Harry of another younger student that had also fought beside them.

After the war Harry had split from Ginny, he could not be with her when all he could think about was Draco it was unfair of him, he told her, she'd cried, he'd held her, she'd understood. But things had never been the same, she had once again become , 'just Ron's little sister.' It was hard for Ron to see at first but he too had understood, eventually. The group of 8th years sat in front of the fire, sometimes speaking, sometimes just staring. The two Slytherin's said nothing both happy enough to be accepted to sit with the hero's of the war. Each Slytherin was in silent awe of the student's around them, the sacrifices' they had made, the fights they had fought and the war they had won. It was humbling to be in their presence.

One by one the students retired to their beds. The boys had decided that Luna could stay, they had no problem, everyone deserved a little company, Hermione also opted to stay with the boys. After all they were of age what could be said? The students climbed the stairs in to the dormitory and went their separate ways after a few mumbled goodnights. And they slept.

The scream pierced the still night air waking all but one of the inhabitants of one of the 8th year boy's dormitories. The one that did not wake was the one that was screaming. Draco Malfoy was screaming a blood-curdling scream, his fringe clung to his forehead with the cold sweat which was pouring from it, he was writhing around in his sheets screaming No! No! No! The others students looked at each other concern etched on their faces when suddenly Harry stood and walked across the room to Draco's bed, without a word he lifted the sheets and climbed in next to him, and, as he had done many nights over the summer he wrapped his arms around the blonde and pulled him close so that the boys back was pressed against his chest. 'Ssh' he whispered, 'I'm here,' Draco stirred slightly in his sleep and then he was quiet.

The other students in the room watched this with rising interest and more than one pair of eyes widened when Harry had climbed in beside Draco. But the blonde had stilled when he felt Harry's touch, the other's, especially Blaise, were shocked but after a while Luna and the Gryffindor's settled back to sleep. They knew Harry, they loved Harry, Draco was obviously important to Harry so now, without question, he was one of them. Blaise stayed awake a while longer, staring at the sight in the bed next to him, it was beautiful, blonde and brunette lying together in the moonlight, breathing deeply as they slept. Draco looked content in stark contrast to the screaming that had only been minutes ago but now seemed like hours ago. If Potter could make Draco look like that who was he to complain? He had always secretly had a bit of a soft spot for Harry but would never admit it. Oh well, Draco had him now, Blaise sighed and lay back down, wondering naughtily if the Irish lad would be up for a bit of fun with him.

...

As Draco woke he noticed Harry's arm wrapped tightly around him. Harry was in his bed, when did that happen? His curtains were open, had he not closed them? He looked at the room around him from his vantage point in the corner. The others were beginning to stir and Draco began to panic, he felt his heart racing and his hands grew clammy as he struggled to catch his breath. What would they say if they saw Harry? He dreaded to think what Harry's friends would say, what the hell would Blaise think? He looked over and saw Weasley looking at him from his bed, he looked concerned, he was for it now. Draco's panic attack began to worsen, 'Harry!' Weasley shouted, Draco flinched, this would not be good, he heard Harry grumble behind him, 'Harry!' Ron shouted again more urgently as he jumped from his bed. Draco was slowly losing the ability to breathe and he panicked more and more, the lions around him were rising, he was dead, what had Harry been thinking?, 'Harry!' Ron almost screamed again, Harry shot up, 'Now he'll see ,' thought Draco, 'he'll be mortified,' was the blondes last thought as he began to hyperventilate. 'What Ron?' Harry asked grumpily.

'Harry, Draco,' screamed the red-head gesturing wildly at the blonde next to Harry on the bed, Harry looked down at the almost blue Slytherin at his side and jumped to his feet immediately, he scooped Draco in to his arms and ran as fast as he could to the hospital wing bowling down a rather grumpy fourth year on the way.

...

Draco opened his eyes and looked around him, everything was white, he had no idea where he was.

'Ah Mr Malfoy, glad to see you back,' he heard a woman's voice from somewhere on his right, he looked back at what had previously been an empty space and was faced with Madam Pomfrey the school nurse. What the hell had happened? He was clearly in the hospital wing, but how.

' I think you should wake Mr Potter now he will be eager to see you're ok.' Draco looked at her confusedly and she inclined her head in the direction of Draco's left shoulder. Draco turned and was faced with the messy brown hair of Harry. Harry had his arms folded beneath his head and was asleep, still wearing his glasses although they were slightly askew. Draco turned back to Madam Pomfry,

'How long as he been there?'

'He never left.' She replied looking quite annoyed at the fact.

'What time is it?'

'Almost dinner, he brought you here before breakfast, you were having a severe panic attack Mr Malfoy can you remember what happened?'

Draco looked at her as the memory of the morning came back to him. He could not tell her what had made him panic, he just couldn't;

'Sorry no' he whispered.

Just then Harry stirred at his side. 'Draco you're awake, are you ok? Madam Pomfrey is he ok? What happened?' these words tumbled out of Harry's mouth as he tried to ask all the questions at once.

'Mr Potter, calm down Mr Malfoy is fine he just needs to rest and take care of himself.' Just as she was about to continue a first year was carried in by Madam Hooch, 'I will be right back,' she said and rushed over to the injured child.

'Draco,' Harry said quietly. 'What happened?'

'Why were you in my bed, are you mad? Your friends are going to kill me.'

'What, why?'

'Harry, they saw you, in my bed, Weasley saw you with your arms around me, he was screaming at you, he's going to kill you.' Draco said quietly, he didn't want to Harry to lose his friends. To his surprise Harry started laughing.

'Draco is that why you panicked?'

'Yes,' Draco was beginning to get furious at Harry laughing at him.

'Draco,' Harry said, as he stopped laughing, ' They all knew I was in your bed already, they watched me get in.' Harry said to the astonished Slytherin.

'What? How? When? What?' Draco spluttered.

'Draco, last night you woke the whole dorm screaming, you were having a nightmare, I wanted to help you so I got in your bed to hold you and help you. They watched me do it and no one said a word against me, not even Blaise, they just turned and went back to sleep.'

For a moment Draco just sat and stared at Harry, ' but.. Weasley... this morning.'

Harry stifled a chuckle,' Draco you frightened Ron to death, he thought you were dying, he was screaming for me to wake up and help you.'

Draco again stared, Weasley had been frightened for him, he was so confused, Weasley hated him.

Then as if Ron could hear his thoughts he suddenly barged in to the hospital room, closely followed by the other Gryffindor's, Blaise and Luna.

'He's awake,' he yelled over his shoulder at the people behind him earning him a glare from Madam Pomfrey.

'Bloody hell Malfoy you scared us this morning,' said Ron slumping down in a chair next to Harry, 'I thought you were dead you were blue and everything,' Ron continued before earning a slap on the arm from his girlfriend.

'We are just happy you are ok Malfoy,' said Hermione, 'You did give us quite a fright.'

Draco was overwhelmed, these people should hate him, why were though so concerned? He felt like crying luckily though Blaise interrupted his thoughts.

'What the hell were you dreaming about mate, you interrupted my wet dream about Finnegan,' he asked, with a wink at Seamus who was blushing furiously. He smirked, as only a true Slytherin could and turned back to Draco. All eyes turned on him, waiting for an answer. Draco did not know what to say, how could he tell them all, especially the lions and Luna that had fought so bravely. Harry came to his rescue,

'I think we all have nightmares about the last year don't we?' he asked, a murmur of agreement went around the students.

'Even so Harry,' said Blaise, 'I think you should sleep with Draco from now on, I can't have anymore dreams interrupted,' he finished with a lustful look at Seamus again who was now redder then Ron's hair.

Harry chuckled, 'I think I can manage that, I don't think it will be too much of a chore.' As he raised an eyebrow at Draco. Draco glared at him, but he was enjoying this light hearted moment between friends, he felt like he fit in, even just for a moment, plus, he thought, he really needed to have a chat with Blaise about Finnegan, that would be an interest chat. Just then Madam Pomfrey appeared and shooed them all out of the room.

'Mr Malfoy you can leave for dinner if you like.'

'Thanks, but I'm still in my pyjamas,' he said glancing down at himself.

'I'll get your robes,' Harry said before running out of the room. Draco watched him go and for the first time in a very long time felt very lucky.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

Draco sat with his fellow 8th years in the Great Hall. They had a special table of their own due to the house tables being full from the new intake and the already existing student body, it seemed to work, the 8th years clung to each other as nobody else quite understood what they had had to endure to get to where they were today, they silently understood each other and that was all that they needed, like the shared dorms, the table was a silent barrier from the rest of the world.

Draco was still slightly embarrassed from the events of the previous night, he had not panicked like that for a long time, he sat quietly between Harry and Blaise attempting not to draw any attention to himself. He pushed his dinner around his plate in silence, occasionally casting his eyes around the masses of students in front of him situated at their house tables, he noticed glances and whispers in their direction, the ones of fear and loathing aimed at him and the ones of awe and admiration aimed at his green eyed neighbour and the other Gryffindor's. Draco was beginning to get used to this, he knew he deserved this, he understood, he understood the fear and the hatred in the eyes of the ones that judged him, it was the way that he felt about himself. The good that Harry had believed he had done towards the end of the war paled in comparison against the evils he had committed, he knew that, everyone knew that, well everyone except the people sitting around him on the table, they saw something in him he could apparently not see in himself.

The Slytherin sighed and looked down at the plate of untouched food in front of him, biting back the tears that threatened to fall as he remembered, remembered the evils, remembered who he was, what he had done and how he did not deserve the heroes around him to treat him as an equal. He placed his fork down on the table and prepared to excuse himself, before he could make a move to speak Draco felt the weight of a hand on his knee, he looked right in to those big, beautiful green eyes that were shining with concern for him. Since that awful night that Harry had found him attempting to fill the dark void in his life with anything, even pain, he had never left his side and Draco knew that he didn't deserve Harry's attention, he had said it before and would probably repeat it may times in the future but the boy at his side just would not listen, Draco was broken, broken beyond help, he knew it, but Harry would not accept it, Harry felt the need to save everybody and Draco knew he could not be saved. He gave Harry a small smile, not wanting to bring attention to them and commenced picking at his food, a small smile appearing on his face as he realised Harry's hand had remained on his knee. Draco realised he was not leaving the table anytime soon and began to pay attention to the rest of his companions and was amused to hear Blaise flirting with an extremely flustered Finnegan.

'So, is it true if you have an Irishman of your very own it makes you extremely lucky?' Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow carefully placing a fork in to his mouth and removing it in an extremely seductive manner. Seamus's eyes were wide as he watched this obvious display and choked his reply,

'Leprechauns.' He stammered.

'Excuse me?' Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow.

'Yer mean Leprechauns.' Seamus replied. 'They're what's lucky.'

'Oh I don't know,' Blaise said in a low growl, 'I would consider myself very lucky to have my very own Irishman.'

It was unfortunate for Seamus that at that moment he had chosen to take a large gulp of his drink to ease his suddenly very dry throat, at Blaise's comment Seamus had spat his drink across the table in front of him and proceeded to have a choking fit, Neville slapped him on the back with gusto as Blaise smirked and continued with his meal.

Draco watched the exchange with interest, that confidence that oozed from Blaise used to be matched by his own. A year ago he would have no problem saying exactly how he felt and expressing his own needs and wants, but now, now well Draco felt he did not even deserve to have even his most primal needs met. That thought brought Draco back to the present moment and the heat he could feel as Harry's hand remained on his knee as Harry listened politely to Granger wondering how their lessons would work.

'Well there simply aren't enough of us to warrant whole classes to ourselves, I think we will be put in with the 7th years, I mean it is the same work after all. What do you think?'

Harry took his time in answering,

'I don't know 'Mione, I don't know how I feel about them splitting us all up.'

'I know what you mean,' she replied quietly, 'Summer and sharing a common room has turned us in to quite the little family.'

Harry smiled at this, 'Yep with you and Ron as mum and dad.'

A blush crept across Hermione's face and settled on her cheeks, she gave a small smile and brought the conversation back on track; 'So Draco how do you think our classes will work?'

Draco started at being spoken to, he felt Harry give his knee a reassuring squeeze so cleared his throat to speak,

'I have not really thought about it if I'm honest,' he said quietly, 'However now you mention it I do believe that your idea of us joining the 7th years sounds most likely, I too don't really like the idea of us all being separated, 'he said quietly, 'but I cannot see any other way around it.'

'We will know soon enough, here's Flitwick with our timetables.' Interrupted Blaise from his left side.

The tiny teacher handed the slips of parchment out in silence, each student quietly thanked him as they took the timetables and began to study them intensely. Harry removed his hand from Draco's leg to collect is timetable and immediately began pouring over it, without a word timetables were swapped and compared, there were a few raised eyebrows and the odd mutter but they remained relatively silent whilst they looked at each other's timetables. Draco looked up from the one he held, Ron's, and noted with interest Finnegan handing his silently to Blaise and Blaise placing it side by side with his own quietly examining and comparing while Seamus watched with a small smile. Draco felt a pang of jealously as he watched, what he was seeing was obviously the start of something between his best friend and the small Gryffindor in front of him, Draco envied them, they had something to look forward to, something fun and perhaps something even more after everything they had been through, he was happy for the two, as he was for all the couples around him but he couldn't help the sad pang of realisation that he could never have that. He handed Ron's timetable to Hermione so she could compare, as he did he noticed Harry next to him studiously comparing two timetables, the pang deepened in strength, Draco tore his eyes away and stole a glance around the table, he wondered which of his fellow 8th years Harry wanted to ensure he spent all his time with, he didn't even know whether he was searching for a girl or a guy, he didn't think it mattered, Harry could have his pick. He remembered Harry had had a thing with the young Weasley girl, when had that ended? So girls it was, Hermione was the only girl in their group, no other female Gryffindor's or Slytherin's had returned, Draco glanced down to the other end of the table, the Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's had merged as they themselves had done, the 8 students took up the other end of the table the Ravenclaw's on one side facing the Hufflepuff's they too were trading timetables, however, Draco noticed that they all had timetables in front of them, none were missing, so who's did Harry have? He glanced around their end of the table again and noticed Dean Thomas did not have a timetable in front of him, well that was it wasn't it, it was Dean, Draco felt a sick feeling in his stomach as he thought about Harry and Dean together, he didn't think he could cope with that. It made it worse that he was male, it was not so bad when he knew Harry would never want him because he was male, but now, he knew Harry would never want him because he was Draco Malfoy. He braced himself to look at Harry again, the green-eyed Gryffindor was holding one of the timetables in his left hand, running the index finger of his right hand down the other timetable, the end of his tongue poking out of the corner in his mouth in concentration, Draco could not tear his eyes away as much as it was hurting him. Harry must have sensed him looking and turned his head with a smile, he picked the timetable off the table and handed it to Draco 'All the same,' he said with a smile. Draco looked at the parchment in front of him like it was made of fire and would surely burn him if he touched it, he took it carefully from Harry, across the top in Flitwick's cursive handwriting were the words, Draco Malfoy. Harry had been comparing their timetables, it was him Harry wanted to spend all his time with, Draco swallowed and gave Harry a small smile. What did this mean? Was he reading too much in to it ? Harry just wanted to look after him, to be the hero, that was all, nothing more, he was just the hero's new project, he didn't want this, he didn't.

...


End file.
